St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-03-31
A Good Outlook For Laboring Men this
Season, According to Agents and
Contractors.
The New Law Requiring Employers to
Furnish Seats For Female En-
'ployes in Force.
Doings OF a Day In the Courts -Funer-
al OF Bert Steenstra Largely
Attended.
Changes Among the Army Omcers--
Summary of Wednesdays Local
Events GlobuleS.
GOOD FORL.BoRlNG mEN.
Contractors and Others i'm n Position
10 Know Say the prospect for
Work Was Never Better.

Contractors and Others i'm a Position
10 Know Say the prospect for
Work Was Never Better.
If contractors and managers of employ
ment agencies are correct i'll sizing mp the
situation, the coming spring and summer
will be 4 most prosperous one for the
honest man who supports himself and
family as a day laborer n GLOBE re-
porter made the rounds of several of the
various intelligence offices. and at each Of
them in answer to the question, what is
the prospect" received the same answer
never was better" Just now the men
who have been employed in the lumber
camps and who are not experienced drivers
Ire returning 10 the city. \ great many of
Them are Il class of men who, after being in
!he woods all winter, cannot resist the
temptation to paint the town little, and
the consequences are that they must begin
work. Some of them, of course. save their
money. but all of them want work, and they
nave no trouble in finding it just now.
There is an unusually large demand for men
20 work on the railroads just now. The
Sault Ste Marie and the Devils Lake eX-
tension of the Manitoba will give employ
ment to several thousand men this summer,
and agents say that the supply does not
equal the demand. Shovelers, right Of way
men and tracklayers are offered from S1.75
10 50 per day now. and it is thought wages
will be higher later in the season unless
more men can be found. Inquiry at Col
toms employment office elected the fact
that never before has there been such de-
mand for railroad men. The man in charge
said they could find places for 5000 men
within a week if they could get them. n
Illinois. but apparently the number of men
from the South is smaller this year than in
former years. There will be good demand
for farm hands this year at about S25 per
month. But the greater number of men
will be sent ont on the railroads Between
700 and 500 miles of road will be built in
Wisconsin alone, and the Devils Lake eX
tension will employ about 1000 men.
White & Co. also say that they cannot
get enough men for work on the railroads.
The fare up to the Sault Ste. Marie is only
1.50 at present, but when the interstate
commerce law goes into effect and the fares
are higher the inducements will not, of
course, be so great. They have recently
sent number of men to work on roads in
Colorado and Indian Territory. and they all
report themselves as well satisfied. They
could send 500 men out to day ii they had
them, they said. They will send a large
number of men to Escanaba next week.
They had an idea that employment could
be furnished to fully 10, 600 men in Dakota
and Montana. A great many men will
leave the railroads to work on farms, and
their places will have to be filled. This
will create a demand during the greater
part of the summer.
L. Achilles, who makes speciality of
finding employment for ladies, said that if
he could get girls enough to fill all the or
ders he had he would soon be richer than
any of the Ashland boomers. 1t. is gener-
ally rather dull in his line of business at
this season of the year, but this year has
been marked exception. His orders are
from families and hotels. He also has a
barge number of orders for farm hands, and
ne anticipates busy season.
WHAT CONTRACTORS SAY.
Contractors say that, although there is
not much demand for skilled labor just
now. they anticipate busy season. There
will be large amount of building in st.
Paul and vicinity. and day laborerS who do
not care to leave their families for about %
cents more per day will have no trouble in
finding work. Messrs. Agnew & Cox are
of the opinion that there are already enough
men inst! Paul to meet the demands. Nc
Arthur Bros. anticipate very busy season.
They say the demand now for graders and
masons IS far above the average at this sea-
son Of the year. The wages paid for CON-
moe laborers is now about S1.50 per day,
but this scale will undoubtedly be raised in
proportion to the demand for men. En-
ployment will also be given to large num-
beers of stonecutters and masons. In fact,
this will undoubtedly be busy season for
all kinds of laborers. both skilled and I'M
skilled.
Messrs. Shepard, Winston q Co. said
they did not anticipate any trouble at all in
getting all the laborers they wanted at rea-
sonable prices. They have the contract to
build the Manitoba road from Minot TO
Helena. 1t is expected that by putting on
5000 men they will be able to have it COM
pleted this coming fall. They can get all
the men they want. who will come, chiefly
from Iowa. Minnesota and Dakota. The
wages paid will vary good deal in this
business, according to capacity. Track
layers will be paid So per day. Ordinary
Iaborers S1.50. Their board will cost them
$3.50 per week. Transfers will be paid
SEC per month and furnished board. La
borers of all kinds gather in the cities at
this season of the year, and labor is found
to be very plenty.